Tigers bring home top district honors

Friday

GLEN ROSE — Following their deep run in the Class 4A Div. II football playoffs, the Glen Rose Tigers (11-2, 4-0) brought home a bushel basket full of District 4-4A awards.

Six Tigers earned superlative awards, while nine more were voted to the first team and eight more were voted to the second team when the all-district teams were released earlier in the month.

“We are very well-represented,” Glen Rose football coach Cliff Watkins said. “They are three-time district champs and didn’t lose a district ball game in their three years.”

Quarterback Cameron Griffin was the unanimous choice for MVP. Running back Westen Halcom was the Offensive MVP for the second straight year; Davis Shackelford (Utility POY); Hayden Shaw (Lineman of the Year); Braylen Meador (Defensive POY); and Austin Worthen (Offensive Newcomer of the Year).

In his two years at the Glen Rose signal-caller, Griffin set school records for touchdowns in a game (7); passing yards in a season (3,837); touchdown passes in a season (52); and touchdown passes in a career (86).

“With the numbers he put up this year, he deserved it,” Watkins said. “He had an unbelievable year, and all the work that he and his teammates put in through the summer is the reason they were able to have that success.”

Halcom also set a bevy of school records including yards in a season (2,002); rushing yards in a game (326); rushing touchdowns in a season (28); rushing touchdowns for a career (63); points scored in a career (492); points scored in a season (240); and career rushing yards (4,274). In all, he holds a total of nine school records.

“When we needed to lean on someone, he’s the guy we would get the ball to and finish off games,” Watkins said. “He’s an explosive player, and I’m happy he got that honor in back-to-back years.”

Shackelford, a junior, hold two school records and is tied for a third, and he will only add to those totals. He leads in receiving touchdowns in a game (4); receiving touchdowns in a season (16); and he is tied in receiving touchdowns in a career (21). For the year, he tallied 53 catches for 1,053 yards, while defensively he was fourth on the team with 105 tackles.

“He was a guy that did a lot for us at tight end and at linebacker and special teams,” Watkins said.

Meador, also a junior, had a nose for the football and finished second on the team in tackles (162) and first on the team with tackles for loss (16). He also had five pass break-up, a fumble recovery and a blocked field goal.

“He ended up being all over the field,” Watkins said. “Wherever the ball ended up, that’s where he ended up. He had a great year flying around. He was fun to watch.”

Shaw was a three-year starter for the Tigers on the offensive line, and he can say he blocked for the first 2,000-yard rusher in Glen Rose football history. The Tigers finished with 7,581 yards total offense this season.

“He started for us as a sophomore and just continued to get better and better,” Watkins said. “There was a lot progress you could see from him from a sophomore to a senior. He was a dominate player up front for us and an anchor for our offensive line.”

Worthen, a sophomore, saw time at quarterback, running back and receiver offensively, in addition to his duties on defense. He had 23 catches for 390 yards and five touchdowns; rushed for 104 yards on eight carries; and completed 4 of 4 passes for 68 yards and a touchdown. As a safety, he recorded 88 tackles and tallied four interceptions.

“He stepped in and made a lot of plays for us, and we were able to do some different things because of the positions he’s played in the past,” Watkins said.